Tupac Shakur was one of the most important voices of his generation — a complicated rapper whose unapologetic and honest music drifted from violent and profane lyrics to heartfelt emotional tunes about equality, feminism and tributes to his mother.
But he wasn’t just one of the leading voices in West Coast rap, he was also an actor and activist whose cultural impact continues decades after his death in 1996.
In 2012 Shakur’s hologram “performed” during Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s headlining set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival; he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017; and now he’s the subject of a 20,000-square-foot exhibition titled “Tupac Shakur. Wake Me When I’m Free” that aims to dig deep into the rapper’s life to explain his complex nature and his art.
The exhibition, which organizers refer to as a museum, opened Jan. 21 at The Canvas at L.A. Live and runs through June.
“We wanted to create an experience that showcased Tupac and instilled in people when they came to the museum that he was a product of his social, cultural and political environment. But through his art, through his worldview, he became the generational symbol for the fight for humanity and a voice for the voiceless and was a true revolutionary,” said Jeremy Hodges, creative director for the exhibition.
Named after a poem he wrote as a teenager, the exhibition is made up of items from throughout the rapper’s life, including notebooks filled with his writings, song lyrics, poetry, outfits, music, quotes from the rapper and even his tattoos, which have been recreated as three-dimensional sculptures.
There is also studio equipment on display as well Black Panther memorabilia, which is a nod to his late mother Afeni Shakur, who was a political activist, a former Black Panther and one of the biggest influences in the rapper’s life.
“When you go through it you understand how he was growing up in a political revolutionary environment that drove every way that he thought about the world, his worldview, his music,” Hodges said.
“He was a poet, he was an artist, he was a revolutionary. He was a hip-hop star and a musician but he was so much more and had so much more complexities,” he added.
Shakur was killed at the age of 25 in a still unsolved drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996 as he rode in a BMW with rap mogul Suge Knight.
He left behind an influential legacy that includes hits such as “Dear Mama,” “California Love” with Dr. Dre, “How Do U Want It” with K-Ci and JoJo,”I Get Around” and “Keep Ya Head Up.” His acting credits include roles in films like “Juice,” “Poetic Justice” and “Gang Related.”
He also often experienced the violent life he rapped about. He was at the center of a West Coast versus East Coast rap feud, and before being killed was shot five times outside a New York recording studio in 1994.
And like Shakur’s life, there is also controversy surrounding the exhibition.
Shakur’s sister Sekyiwa Shakur, has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Tom Whalley, the trustee of Afeni Shakur’s estate, accusing Whalley of embezzlement and possessing items that instead belong to his sister, Billboard first reported. Sekyiwa Shakur believes some of those items are in the exhibition, her lawyer told the Los Angeles Times.
Hodges said he had no comment on the lawsuit or whether it would affect the new exhibition.
“I was here to honor Tupac and build a story and I don’t have anything to go deep on that,” he said.
And while 41-year-old Hodges, who has been a fan of Shakur since he was a child growing up in Chicago, never met the rapper, he’s hoping other fans feel like he does when he walks through the exhibition.
“Beyond the beautiful aesthetics of the museum, it’s truly immersive and makes you feel like you’re walking with Tupac through this journey,” he said.
If you go
When: Noon-7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, noon- 8 p.m. Thursday, noon- 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. Sunday through June. Closed Tuesdays.
Where: The Canvas @ L.A. Live, 944 Georgia St., Los Angeles
Tickets: $24.50-$44.50 for adults and those over the age of 16, $14.50-$34.50 for children and students.
COVID-19 protocols: Proof of full vaccination (two weeks since final dose) or a negative COVID-19 test (within onw day for an antigen test or two days for a PCR test) required for entry. Face masks must be worn.
Information: wakemewhenimfree.com